THEODOTUS (_wildly_). Will you destroy the past? CAESAR. Ay, and build the future with its ruins. (_Theodotus, in despair, strikes himself on the temples with his fists._) But harken, Theodotus, teacher of kings: you who valued Pompey's head no more than a shepherd values an onion, and who now kneel to me, with tears in your old eyes, to plead for a few sheepskins scrawled with errors. I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of water just now; but you shall pass freely out of the palace. Now, away with you to Achillas; and borrow his legions to put out the fire. (_He hurries him to the steps._) POTHINUS (_significantly_). You understand, Theodotus: I remain a prisoner. THEODOTUS. A prisoner! CAESAR. Will you stay to talk whilst the memory of mankind is burning? (_Calling through the loggia_) Ho there! Pass Theodotus out. (_To Theodotus_) Away with you. THEODOTUS (_to Pothinus_). I must go to save the library. (_He hurries out._) CAESAR. Follow him to the gate, Pothinus. Bid him urge your people to kill no more of my soldiers, for your sake. POTHINUS. My life will cost you dear if you take it, Caesar. (_He goes out after Theodotus._) _Rufio, absorbed in watching the embarkation, does not notice the departure of the two Egyptians._ RUFIO (_shouting from the loggia to the beach_). All ready, there? A CENTURION (_from below_). All ready. We wait for Caesar. CAESAR. Tell them Caesar is coming--the rogues! (_Calling_) Britannicus. (_This magniloquent version of his secretary's name is one of Caesar's jokes. In later years it would have meant, quite seriously and officially, Conqueror of Britain._) RUFIO (_calling down_). Push off, all except the longboat. Stand by it to embark, Caesar's guard there. (_He leaves the balcony and comes down into the hall._) Where are those Egyptians? Is this more clemency? Have you let them go? CAESAR (_chuckling_). I have let Theodotus go to save the library. We must respect literature, Rufio. RUFIO (_raging_). Folly on folly's head! I believe if you could bring back all the dead of Spain, Gaul and Thessaly to life, you would do it that we might have the trouble of fighting them over again. CAESAR. Might not the gods destroy the world if their only thought were to be at peace next year? (_Rufio, out of all patience, turns away in anger. Caesar suddenly grips his sleeve, and adds slyly in his ear._) Besides, my friend: every Egyptian we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to guard him. Eh? RUFIO. Agh! I might have known there was some fox's trick behind your fine talking. (_He gets away from Caesar with an ill-humored shrug, and goes to the balcony for another look at the preparations; finally goes out._) CAESAR. Is Britannus asleep? I sent him for my armor an hour ago. (_Calling_) Britannicus, thou British islander. Britannicus!